Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert

Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert
Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert
Location within Rhône-Alpes region Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Drôme
Arrondissement	Die
Canton	La Motte-Chalancon
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Daniel Fernandez
Area1	46.62 km2 (18.00 sq mi)
Population (2008)2	138
• Density	3.0/km2 (7.7/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	26274 / 26340
Elevation	527–1,447 m (1,729–4,747 ft) (avg. 591 m or 1,939 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert is a commune in the Drôme department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.

History

Archaeology suggests that people have settled in the area for over six thousand years. Fragments of Iron Age vases for roasting wheat have been found in the area. There is also a ruined castle, sacred architecture and a sixteenth-century church on water.

Population

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1806	1,169	—
1911	580	−50.4%
1962	197	−66.0%
1968	257	+30.5%
1975	205	−20.2%
1982	197	−3.9%
1990	168	−14.7%
1999	183	+8.9%
2008	138	−24.6%

Economy

The French goat's cheese Picodon is made in and around the area of Saint-Nazaire-le-Désert. Lavender is grown locally and products containing lavender are popular.

See also

• Communes of the Drôme department

References

• INSEE